Eyes are Windows
by Lil Lost Lady
Summary: Traveling with Jiraiya means one thing: downtime, after being left on her own Naruto runs into Itachi; this time though things are different, and it leaves Naruto questioning what she's learned about Itachi. Deciding to find out who the real Itachi is, as this may help her with her own quest to save Sasuke, however, she may find that Itachi's the real one in need of saving. FemNaru
1. The Dango Shop

**Eyes are Windows**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

 **Author's Note: This is actually one of the two Naruto stories that I started a couple years ago and forgot about but since I found it again I fixed it up and plan to continue it and the other one then post them both so I hope you enjoy them, one thing to note is this is a FemNaruto story where Naruto was born as a girl.**

 **Question: Do you prefer I use Sensei or Teacher or both? Ero-Sennin or Pervy-Sage? I'll change it if enough people want me to.**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Dango Shop

One can only spar against one's self for so long even if said person could create hundreds of clones of themselves to use in said sparing.

Falling to the ground with a thud the last Naruto stand-er laying of the twenty pervious Narutos was the original Naruto who was for a better word, "I'm soooo bored! I wanna do something come back and train me for once!" Naruto hits the ground with her fists like a child throwing a temper tantrum in hopes that this will make her 'sensei' materialize in front of her and actually do his job for once in his life, it doesn't happen.

Sighing she almost decides to just lay there and pull a Shikamaru and enjoy some good old fashion cloud watching for the rest of the day. Almost... sitting up and stretching she pulls herself up off the ground and after a quick dusting off which was needed due to lying around on the ground she decides to spend the rest of the day in the nearby town playing hooky because if her sensei can do it then so should she at least that's her way of thinking.

People learn by example and this was his example after all.

"He's such a bad influence oh well, never had a good one anyway I suppose... so it's not like I know the difference."

She didn't stop to think that her voicing those thoughts actually meant she did know.

The young ninja heads off towards the town at a normal pace for once as she had no real reason to rush things today as it'll be at least nightfall before she sees her perverted teacher again.

"Maybe Iruka... he was a good influence, but I never really paid attention, so does that count? Hmm, I wonder how he's doing? Any students to stress him out now that I'm not there?" She snickered at the thought, "Now I know I've been alone too long since I'm talking to myself..."

The teen shakes her head to clear it, she never did like to be alone for very long despite being used to it the girl still didn't care for it or the silence it brought, it lead to too much thinking and for her over thinking things was never a good idea.

"Scenery is nice and all but I need people, interaction pronto!"

After declaring this to herself she takes off going full speed ahead and arrives in the small town or maybe it's a village, how does one tell anyway, in record time. Not that she was counting or anything because that would be lame... and she was most certainly not, after all the genin was the self-proclaimed future Hokage.

While wondering about amongst the small town's people for a bit she still felt that ever present taste of boredom, sure it was a lovely place but having been to so many little towns and villages during her trip over the last couple of years the novelty of it all just sort of lessened.

Feeling her stomach growl and deciding that was the perfect distraction from her otherwise less than happy thoughts the teenage ninja looks around for a place to eat, unfortunately for her, there's no ramen stand in this town.

"What kind of awful place is this that they don't have the food of the gods...?" After grumbling this quietly to herself she not only feels her stomach growl this time, but she hears it as well.

The blonde teen opens her mouth to tell off her stomach because it should be a good tummy and listen when she speaks to it when she stops suddenly noticing a smell and, so she follows her nose.

It leads her to a place that has a delicious aroma, it smells sweet like dangos and the hungry ninja can't resist though truthfully, she doesn't even try.

Several dango sticks later and she's just about finished with her last one when she senses something-no someone heading inside the small restaurant- 'or maybe it's a cafe?', quickly recognizing the potential threat she ducks down behind her chair at the counter and crawls quickly under the nearest table all the while still holding her last dango stick.

The Leaf ninja's eyes widen as she sees a figure she never wanted to see again, all decked out in black robes with swirling red clouds on them was the imposing Itachi Uchiha standing in the small dango cafe, if she wasn't so freaked out at the moment the teen may have found this somewhat funny.

What is he doing here?

Where is his partner, the fish guy?

Did he know she was here?

Though she has been practicing at suppressing her strong charka signature, it seems to always unfailingly give her location away. Still she didn't want to put it to the test so soon.

However luckily for her, she has been practicing it for so long now that girl had been doing it subconsciously already, now she was suddenly aware though and that always seemed to make her control of her chakra that much more difficult to hide.

The question about his reasons for being there were soon answered though when he went right up and ordered some dango.

Guess bad guys have to eat too... never really thought about it before. She thought to herself before calming down slightly, that is until he got his order and he didn't leave.

Why isn't he leaving? Just go away, is there a go away evil bad guy chant?

However, it didn't happen in fact he was heading her way, and when he sat in a seat at the table she choose for her hiding place with his dangos in hand then young ninja did something monumentally stupid even for her, she jumped in an effort to put space between them and ended up banging her head against the underside of the table.

"Owww...", she grabbed her head and dropped what was left of her dango stick before silently cursing herself.

If the bang hadn't caused him to look down at the top of his table, then her stupid voice did she thought to herself and tried not to panic.

Don't look under the table, don't look under, she knew she had to act quickly so the Leaf ninja did the first thing that came to her mind, she used a transformation jutsu on herself to look different, but not too different since she didn't want him to feel her charka-which at the best of times was a hard task and this wasn't one of her better moments so she used her minimum output to pull it off.

Just a change in coloring, texture and hiding her markings on her cheeks before grabbing her dango stick off the floor and getting out from under the table at the opposite side from his seat and facing the one and only Itachi Uchiha.

He was staring at her and the blonde ninja couldn't help but feel like she was sweating bullets, she knew she couldn't act to save her life, but he wanted to capture her for his evil organization, so she had to. If she failed well then it very well could mean her life, since she wasn't sure that she could take him even without his partner... after all Jiraiya had told her all about him he was like a super ninja or something.

"Hee-hee I-I dropped my dango stick under the table." She stuttered a bit while she rubbed her sore head with her free hand as a blush came forward at her words.

Was this what it was like to be Hinata? She doesn't like it, note to self help Hinata out of her shell if you live long enough to go back home.

He just stares before nodding and looking at her stick, so she nervously takes a bite in hopes of not having to keep talking or that he'll just look away he doesn't though.

"...and you're still eating it."

It was a statement, but Naruto took it as a question which she answered seriously despite her mouth still having some food in it and temporarily forgetting who she was talking to, "Of course, I won't waste perfectly tasty food. Besides, haven't you heard of the ten-second rule?"

His expression was strange like he was confused by her very being.

"...No, I haven't."

Naruto blinks in surprise, her hand coming down to her side when it stopped rubbing her sore head. It's not surprising that he hasn't heard of it, but it was that he was actually answering her and that they were talking about food-kind of. It was all so surreal and maybe a bit bazaar too, but she went with it.

"Well actually I made it up, it's supposed to be a five-second rule but that's too short of a time to make such a big decision about something like eating food."

"I see..."

Truthfully, he didn't but she was somewhat interesting or maybe baffling to him. She looked to be about his age maybe a bit younger with light brown hair a little past her shoulder with some wave to it and dark blue eyes, a bit on the short side but holding herself well at least now she was since she no longer looks as nervous. Actually it made her face seem somewhat familiar, but he files it away for the moment.

Normally it's not too surprising that girls are nervous around him given who he is. O what he looks like as most who don't know to fear him are attracted to him, but she seems to be relatively normal now that she's not worried about how she looked getting her dango stick up from under the table... the table that she banged her head on before getting up.

"Is your head alright?"

Her expression turns confused and then slightly angry, "There's nothing wrong with my head, rude much!" She hmps and then turns to leave.

The nerve, sure he's evil but where does he get off asking if she was the _mental_ one. Though the other ninja's not supposed to know he's crazy, he does hide it rather well.

"Wait... I think you misunderstood. I just meant you hit your head under the table and..." The missing-nin trails off wondering why he even bothered to correct the misunderstanding, not that he even knows how his words were misinterpreted but usually it didn't matter to him either way.

The newly jutsued brunette stops and turns around while bringing her hand to her head again, "Oh yeah..."

It's as if she was just realizing that she had hit it not five minutes beforehand, it was because it no longer hurt so it had slipped her mind already. Not only was she a ninja, but she had impressive healing abilities.

Standing there a bit dumbfounded for a second, she blushes again.

Damn, this better not become a habit she inwardly hopes.

"Sorry I thought you meant..." Her voice trailed off much to Itachi's confusion.

Don't mention it she thinks to herself if he knew she thought he called her crazy it might not end well, who knows what using the 'c' word would do around actual crazy people.

"He-he, never mind. Yes, my head is fine now, I didn't hit it that hard. Thanks for asking."

"Hn...You're welcome."

She can barely hold it in when he does the familiar Uchiha 'Hn', but the teen does and it's nothing short of miraculous.

He then seemed to realize that tacked on a 'you're welcome' onto the end of it, even if it was quiet and said in a slightly uncomfortable tone... that was the most emotion she'd heard so far but that thought was pushed away by the thought that. Sasuke's insanely evil older brother is the polite Uchiha out of the two of them.

Never tell Sasuke of that thought the ninja warns herself.

Deciding to leave before things get any weirder or her luck gives out and he discovers who she is she says her quick 'goodbye' with a small wave before leaving the café without looking back, as he watches with the thought from earlier entered his mind of just where had he seen her before.

After leaving the elder Uchiha brother behind she decides to stay in disguise until after she leaves the town, but even though her clothes are transformed to look like civilian clothes she thinks it might do her some good to actually have some for future situations so the for-the-time-being brunette girl makes a short stop to pick up some before heading out to track down her wayward sensei and tell him about her run in.

The clothes shop took about fifteen minutes since she's not all that picky about clothes and not made of money either. Now with her trusty civilian clothing tucked nicely within her new civilian backpack she was well on her way when something caught her attention out of the corner of her now darker blue eyes, it was a small boy and he was on the ground crying with a bloody knee which he likely scrapped when he fell but that wasn't what got her attention it was the man kneeling down next to said boy.

The man that she just had a conversation about food with. The man that was hunting her down to basically kill her. The man that was her runaway best friend's older brother the same brother that killed his clan.

His family every last man, women, and child (Sasuke not included of course) this was the same man that was currently gently wrapping up the kid's knee and talking to him quietly all the while.

Naruto couldn't hear the words from where she stood but that hardly mattered as she saw the child was listening and calming down. That was how everything Naruto thought she knew about Itachi and even about Sasuke seemed to be called into question in her mind with the simple thought, which Itachi was the real one? The Itachi helping out a child or the Itachi who murdered and tormented them? They couldn't both be him after all. Could they?

No it wasn't that simple not at all, it was complicated and messy, and Naruto, of course, was going to be right in the middle of it all now.

Because she was Naruto Uzumaki and when she sets her mind to it there's no stopping her, and at this moment her mind became set. She is gonna find out who Itachi Uchiha really is.

Look under the underneath and all that.

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning roughly around four a.m. that Naruto had managed to track down her sensei in another nearby town, by this time she had decided not to inform him about Itachi but right now her mind wasn't even on the elder Uchiha as she was currently too pissed off to even spare the evil Uchiha a second thought.

No, another man was currently on her mind though if you asked her he was more of a toad though that might be insulting to the toads. Right now, said toad in human form was in for the wakeup call of his life.

"Wake up you old pervert!"

The shout combined with a newly learned water jutsu that she had learned just for this occasion she woke up her perverted sensei as well as the two half-naked probably somewhat drunk girls that he'd hired for the night.

Naruto then to add to his hangover because she felt he deserved it for ditching her _again,_ turned on the light with a slightly satisfied smirk.

Wet, sputtering and now red in the face whether from the left-over alcohol or from his rage at his student said the young blonde student couldn't tell and didn't really care.

"What the hell you brat! Is that anyway to wake up your teacher?"

"Maybe if you actually did what teachers do and taught me something I'd be nicer when I woke you up."

He huffs before muttering about how ungrateful she was then saying he was improving her tracking skills, which the girl just rolls her eyes at but before she can reply he turns to comfort the girls he hooked up with the night before and try to talk them into staying. Suffice to say it doesn't work and Naruto makes herself comfortable leaning on the cleanest place the room has to offer which is the wall while they leave, and he begs them to stay.

After they leave she stands up fully facing her semi-depressed sensei, "You know maybe Tsunade would give you a chance if you would stop paying for young girl's company."

"I don't pay! They come to me because they can't resist me!" He strikes a pose before toppling over due to his still being slightly tipsy. Must have had one hell of a time the previous night to still be feeling it.

Normally she ignores her sensei's folly but this time she extends her hand which he takes, and she helps him stand back up, "Sure that's why they just left."

Glaring and pulling back his hand he grumbles, "They left because of you."

"No, they left because they woke up, and that's what they _always_ do."

This isn't the first time she's tried to get through to his thick skull and it probably wouldn't be the last either.

"You're never gonna get any you know that."

She scoffs at his attempt to get the conversation to take a different turn but in the end, goes with it, because while she's stubborn she's also not in the mood to be ditched again as soon as he sobers up.

"After spending time with you I'm not so certain that that's a terrible thing."

"What? How can you say that after reading my masterpieces!"

"That's exactly why I can say it."

"You're just too young to understand still... you'll get there though, just a late bloomer is all don't worry." Nodding to himself like he's found all the answers he seeks the Toad Sage stubbles off to the bathroom.

"I'm not worried," Naruto calls out as he shuts the door a bit too loudly. "Not for myself anyhow, granny and him really need to get their heads out of their own asses."

A crashing sound makes her wince, "You better not be dying in there, cause I'm not coming to save you... still have nightmares about that one time."

"...No not dying but I think I'll just sleep in here tonight... g'night."

Silence permits the room, "I just know I'll regret it if I go in there..."

Time ticks by as seconds turn into a minute and then two minutes before the student sighs, "It's times like this that I wish I was more like that damn Sasuke... selfish and self-absorbed."

With a shake of her head, she derails that thought before it can take hold she heads off to save her sensei from whatever he's done to himself now.

Opening the bathroom door, she just blinks and takes in the scene in front of her, "How-never mind I don't wanna know."

* * *

Later that morning a refreshed and slightly more rested girl leaves her room before heading downstairs to grab a bite to eat from the small breakfast menu while munching she can't help but think about the last time she ate and a certain villainous Uchiha that made a surprise appearance.

While the whole thing was a shock to her system the young ninja is left wondering how he didn't recognize her, she didn't have the time or the ability to transform too much without the smoke so the girl was only able to alter her hair and eyes a bit, the biggest thing was hiding the whisker-like marks on her cheeks as those damn things never wanted to stay hidden at least not for very long and sadly they were a dead giveaway as to her identity.

That was the reason she was worried he would feel her charka because, like she thought before those damn cheek markings aren't the easiest to hide which is why she normally doesn't bother but in this case. She had to risk it the extra chakra to pull it off, though how she managed it while suppressing her chakra to the extent she had at the same time she still doesn't know.

Desperate times maybe?

Or maybe he just wasn't paying too close of attention, but she isn't dumb enough to think that that's the case, either she's better than the ninja girl had thought or for some reason he just didn't notice and while she'd love to brag about it being all skill she's not so sure...

Going back to the first thought though, maybe her face has changed more than she'd realized in the years since they last saw each other... or he just doesn't remember her face. Nope that's not it she knows her face is not a face that one forgets.

With that last thought she looked down and saw that she'd finished her food without even noticing it, so she decides to put those thoughts on hold and be the dutiful student who orders something for her probably still hung-over sensei who'd liked to think that he could handle his alcohol just as well as Tsunade, when in fact he could not. Not for lack of trying though.

Heading back upstairs to the room from the previous night, which the girl had wisely not stayed in it due to the smell and other unnamed reasons. They'd usually conserve money when at a hotel they'd share one room but when he has those nights her wallet takes a hit but at least her nose and sanity stay intact.

Thankfully he didn't act out as much when she was younger unfortunately for her when she turned fifteen he considered her grown up enough to deal with his more perverse nature more often than not.

Arriving at the door currently belonging to the one she dubbed Ero-Sennin she bangs her foot against it, "Knock knock, room service. Open up before I eat it all."

A tired and hung-over looking Jiraiya opens the door and shifts out of the way for her to come inside, "Well aren't you sweet," she hears the sarcasm in his voice but just grins, "I know."

"Brat..."

"Well eat up so we can get going, I need to get back to training."

"As if I can eat... I'll throw up, the smell alone... urp." He brings a hand up to his mouth, she holds back an evil cackle but just barely as her semi-revenge plan works though after a minute decides to take pity on him and offers him his real food which is small, light, and easy on an upset stomach as well as the calming tea to go with it.

Sitting it all down in front of him on the wooden try she had set up after she pulled it out from a scroll he keeps with him while he was busy moaning about the smell before sitting down across from him.

"Who are you and what've you done to my student?"

"Haha funny, just shut up and eat."

"Well since you asked so nicely."

While he eats slowly as to not upset his stomach the blonde ninja thinks back to the decision not to tell him about running into Itachi and wonders if it is the right call.

He didn't know it was her, so she wasn't in immediate danger but still... she wasn't lying just wasn't telling him something, people did that to her all the time and she got over it... mostly.

It was the right call if she'd said something they'd already be halfway across the country by now so as not to be anywhere near him and his evil groupies.

That wouldn't help with her new goal though, discovering the real Itachi was high on the list right now, maybe not quite as high as getting stronger but still it was up there because it all came back to Sasuke and the more she knows about Itachi the better she'll be able to help him whether he wanted her help or not.

Sasuke was going to be dragged back by his pretty boy hair if she had to... you stupid, idiotic, selfish little prick she thinks albeit not with any real bite.

Her thoughts pause as she notices Jiraiya looking at her with a frown, "What?"

"You're thinking about him."

"...Who?"

The Toad Sage sets down his bowl, "Don't pretend, you get that look every time you think about the Uchiha boy."

For a minute she wonders if that means both of them or just Sasuke, it must be Sasuke... it's always him so she probably doesn't have a look for Itachi... which is good as the ninja can't imagine the kind of look that'd be.

"So?"

"You deserve someone better is all."

"Not this again... he's my friend, just my friend. It's Sakura that's got the crush for the millionth time, clean your ears out I think the cobwebs are building back up again."

"Yeah sure a friend and some friend he is... and I don't have cobwebs, I'm not that old!"

"You must be since I always have to repeat myself, this is payback for mentioning granny-Tsunade isn't it? Well, that's different because you're in love with her, I'd rather eat my own arm then kiss him again... ewww, damn bad thoughts, so very bad...", trailing off she dropped her head none too gently on the makeshift table in front of her.

"Mind your own business brat I- wait... you kissed him? When did this happen!?"

She jumped up and waved her hands defensively trying to correct her previous verbal diarrhea, "It didn't! It was just a bad dream, a nightmare, one that I'm going to forget all about again."

"Hold it, you brought it up now fess up."

"No! This is all your fault, you keep on insisting that I feel like ew-that for him and that's just gross, he's like my brother and you don't kiss-erp," she pauses for a second looking a bit green much to Jiraiya's amusement, "Except you did kiss him."

"ARG! That was an accident!"

"The first time or the second?" He grins with mischief in his eyes until she shouts, "Both!"

His grin drops, "What? You kissed him twice?"

* * *

They'd been traveling for a few hours now and Naruto was glad that he'd finally quit snickering every so often, it was getting on her nerves big time.

The only good thing was that it seems she's finally convinced him once and for all that she wasn't in love with Sasuke, it only took her an extremely embarrassment moment and nearly losing her breakfast to do it.

Thinking of Sasuke brings back the thought of his insane older brother who unfortunately has been on her mind almost as must as Sasuke since her run-in with him the day before.

Tsunade told her about the massacre of the Uchiha clan, which she knew about from hearing about it back when it had happened however she was just a kid then and didn't really get it, besides hearing that it was Itachi Sasuke's older brother who'd done it was the most shocking part.

Jiraiya explained it a bit more in detail but still the blonde didn't think she was seeing the whole picture, before she thought she had, older prodigy brother goes crazy and slaughters family leaving Sasuke alive to torture him mentally, did a pretty good job of it too, but now it doesn't make sense actually it never really did but she just now noticed it. Temporary insanity? Because he seemed sane and maybe even nice when she saw him before...

The only real way to understand is through the man himself but maybe there was another way to get some information without having to track down such a dangerous person as Itachi Uchiha, Jiraiya's a spy so he must know more than the known version of events so that's a start.

"So, I was thinking about Akatsuki and thought maybe there's more you could tell me?"

Jiraiya glances at her but continues to walk, "I've told you everything I've got at this time, I'll let you know if more comes up."

The younger ninja frown, in other words, it's none of the young blonde's business... like hell, it isn't. Well since that didn't work let's try something different. Searching his face for any signs of tells she asks another question, "Well, what do you know about the members?"

"Nothing more than what we've already talked about, they're not on the move right now. Isn't your priority to train to go after Sasuke right now?"

He's definitely deflecting, but that's an opening only will he see through it. Oh well this kind of stealth just isn't her anyway, so the blue-eyed girl decides she's gonna go for it.

"It is, but Sasuke's training to go after his brother and he's a part of the Akatsuki who is after me...", the silence last for a few seconds but she can't wait it out any longer, so she adds, "so what do you know about Itachi?"

"Hmm, you know that we already discussed the Uchiha massacre and Itachi's role in it, as well as his role in the Akatsuki to try and capture you."

Tell me something I don't know, no really tell me something she thinks loudly and ignores a scruffy 'be quiet' that comes from deep inside her head… stupid inner demon fox voices will not distract her now.

"Yeah, I know all that but Itachi was a Leaf ninja so there has to be more that you know, right? I mean he was a talented ninja but what about him personally? Someone was bound to have been his friend or teammate at one time so-"

Jiraiya suddenly stops walking but doesn't face her so she stops talking and walking as well, "I know you want to get Sasuke back, but asking about his brother isn't going to help with that."

"What?"

Truthfully, she didn't think her plan was so see through but well her teacher wasn't a spy for nothing.

"Let's not talk any more about your teammate's brother, it won't help."

He starts to walk again but she's not letting this go, obviously, he knows something and who is he to say that it can't help Sasuke.

"What do you know about Itachi that you don't want to tell me?"

This time he does face her when he stops but his face has a stern look that she's unfamiliar with, "I don't know why you suddenly want to know more about Itachi, but you know all that you need to know. I will not tell you any more than you already know because I can't, so just drop it."

Turning he walks away from her, never noticing the faint look of understanding that flashes through her eyes.

He can't tell her... not won't but can't.

Another village secret but this time it's to do with Itachi... that means it has to do with Sasuke. A secret that he doesn't know that's being kept from him the same as the Kyuubi was kept from her but who is this secret supposed to be protecting?

Is it hurting Sasuke... is Itachi maybe the one hurting...

As a loyal ninja of the leaf she knows she should let this drop just like he says but she just can't... she can't. If this has to do with Sasuke then it has to do with her, if it affects leaf then it affects everyone. So she will just have to find out.

And she will find out, it's a promise.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading drop a review if you feel like it! You know this may be the longest single chapter that I've ever written…**


	2. A Sasuke Sighting

**Eyes are Windows**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

 **Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who's followed, favorited, and/or reviewed and sorry for the extremely long wait (a whole year!) I've just been completely nervous about writing Itachi and that's been the biggest reason I put this off but no more of that I shall press onwards!**

* * *

Chapter 2: A Sasuke Sighting

Sleeping outside underneath the stars sounded romantic at least that's what girls like Ino and Sakura would blab about during their useless flower arrangement class together. How romantic it'd be to be on a nighttime mission on Sasuke's team with nothing but the stars to guide them or some such nonsense.

Though at this point having Sasuke with her would have at least meant that she got a decent night's sleep.

Dropping her hands uselessly from her ears she sits up from her sleeping bag to glare at the source of her frustration a lumpy red sleeping bag with the loudest set of pipes she'd ever had the displeasure of hearing.

Kicking off her own orange sleeping bag she counts to ten slowly before whispering to herself, "No Naru, it would not be okay to kick him while he's sleeping."

Pulling her shoes to her the ninja slides them on easily before standing up with a sigh as she decides that a walk was in order. First, however she looks over a nearby rock holding a familiar frog, "Hey don't bother with watch tonight I'm staying up."

The frog simply gives a thumbs up and disappears as it's way of saying that it heard her, "Guess he's not a talkative one or maybe he's tired, I know the feeling." The ninja shrugs and walks off not at all worried about leaving her sensei defenseless because she knows better.

It wasn't immediate but the further she got from their hastily made camp the more his snores faded away and the blonde was blessed with silence, "Okay I know it was my fault for not falling asleep before him I know better but…"

Her voice trails off as she kicks the dirt.

"It's Sasuke's fault… ever since three days ago."

When she ran into Itachi her mind has been running through all the information she had regarding the two of them, things that Sasuke said deliberately or not as well as her encounters with the older Uchiha himself.

Then there were the memories from her childhood that she did her best to pick through and the info from both Jiraiya and granny Hokage but still her mind couldn't piece it all together, she was missing too much but she had drawn some conclusions which or course were just full of questions themselves.

He left Sasuke alive but killed everybody else meaning he either really hates his younger brother or he cares about him.

The stationary blonde's heel digs into the sand absentmindedly as her thought continue.

If he hated him, he could leave him alive and tormented with what he'd lost. If he loved him and couldn't bring himself to kill him unlike the rest of his family, then that fit too… but then does that mean he didn't love anybody else in his family?

That seems unlikely.

'Stop it you're just running around in circles and keeping both of us awake.'

"They're my private thoughts furball if you don't like 'em but out."

He snorts, 'I'd love too but you're being to loud, I thought you were bad when you obsessed over one Uchiha now your twice as bad because you have two.'

"I do not I'm trying to figure out this Itachi thing because it might get Sasuke back and that's all I want." Sure, helping Itachi in the process if he's not an evil bad guy would be fine but Sasuke was first and foremost her focus.

'Whatever you say but do us both a favor a knock yourself out, neither of us have gotten any sleep lately.'

"That's stupid that Ero-Sennin's fault he's too loud!"

'I suppose that's why you too get along so well then.'

"I don't snore." Naruto exclaimed and she could practically see the fox roll his eyes at that, "What? I don't!" The ninja kicks at the now loose sand in frustration causing it to waft into the air and make her sneeze in response.

A sneeze or three later she musses about the fact that Gaara must have a very strong nose to not sneeze when using his sand attacks. 'Are you sure you're not like those two females that you always complain about?'

"You mean Sakura and Ino?" What do they have to do with anything?

'You spend just as much time thinking about the males of your species as they do, perhaps even more.'

"…"

Wait, what?

"Are you calling me a fangirl!?"

Suffice to say neither the human girl nor her spirit tenant got any sleep that night.

* * *

The next morning a well-rested Jiraiya and a worn-out Naruto were for once actually doing what she came with him for, training.

Of course, he'd choose a day when she was tired but that didn't stop her from pulling out all the stops as they battled, "Ha, missed me!" The young ninja taunts as she dodges before turning right back around and countering, "Take this, RASENGAN!"

Instead of her attack hitting her intended target though he dances out of the way in time and behind her to land a kick straight to her back, the Rasengan dissipates as she hits the ground with a resounding crack.

Naruto groans but doesn't get up instead she turns her face from the ruble to complain, "No fair! Why are you still so fast?"

"Because I'm amazing and in my prime!"

She snorts at that and pulls herself up, "Yeah sure… alright mister 'in your prime' lets go again! I'm not stopping until it's your face meeting the ground!" Newly energized she charges only to have him jump back and hold up a hand, "Wait a minute, you've been moving slower than normal since we started, I think we should take a break and let you get some rest."

"No way you just want an excuse to be lazy and write your porn!" The ninja glares and readies herself for another attack.

He doesn't seem concerned just offended, "I'll have you know I'm just looking out for your well being and for the hundredth time its romance! I'm a romance author."

Naruto ignores the first half of his tirade, "Its pure smut is what it is."

That said she clones herself and launches at him, he dodges effortlessly while continuing on as if he'd not heard her and without concern for her ongoing attacks, "I had just thought that perhaps we'd check out the town nearby and relax oh and I had heard of someone matching Sasuke's description had been there recently but well if you're not interested."

That stopped her cold, "Sasuke, for real? Why didn't you say something sooner!? Wait, are you just pulling my leg because you want to be lazy?"

Seeing as the girl had stopped attacking he took his sweet time in making himself comfortable sitting down and leaning back against a tree but just as she was about to lose it and yell at him he answered her, "My intel is always reliable, but I can't say it was him for sure, but it could be."

That was enough for her.

"…Alright, you win let's go. Which way to the village?"

The white-haired man stared at her tired ruffled form and wondered if he should have maybe withheld the information for another day, it wasn't like he hadn't done so before for her sake.

"Now hold on I'm starting to rethink this." This info was only a couple of days old and if accurate it might be too much for the girl, it was his duty to protect her after all.

"What? Why?" Her arms waved around her frantically as they were wasting time and if Sasuke was there and he was stalling she might miss him. And if it turned out he was joking about the Sasuke sighting she was gonna bash his head in… when he got drunk next time, that would make him sorry.

His expression turned serious, so she stopped flailing as he spoke.

"Because if it is him and he's still in the area then Orochimaru could be close by as well and I can't go bringing my exhausted student near something so potently dangerous."

"I get that but…"

She stared him dead in the eyes and simply said, "It's Sasuke."

He drops her intense gaze and rubs the back of his head with a sigh, "I figured you'd say that, well come on we better get a move on."

Naruto grinned and the two of them headed to the town where Sasuke was possibly sighted.

* * *

It was a town like any other town that they had been to countless times but still the possibility that Sasuke was there or even had been there made it different.

Only two other times since the young ninja's travels had she heard of a Sasuke sighting, the first time turned out to be a look-alike and not a very good one. Had Sasuke known someone had made a mistake like that he'd probably off the informant himself, really his face was too pretty to mix up so how it happened the blonde would never know.

The second time it had been Sasuke, but they only just missed him.

Hopefully, the third time was indeed the charm like they say.

"Let's split up we can cover more ground."

Naruto gave the older ninja the stink eye knowing exactly where he wanted to look for Sasuke at, even before she saw where his eyes were focused.

"I don't think you'll find him in the brothels or in the woman's bath."

"You never know he might want to have a good time it's better to be thorough."

"I think you're forgetting that he's not you."

"I think you've forgotten that he's all grown up and a man with needs and desires."

"Ew… are we talking about Sasuke or yourself? Either way that's gross, fine go do whatever I'll look for him on my own."

He giggled, "Don't mind if I do!"

She watched him in disbelief and slight revulsion as he pranced off toward the woman's bath, must be too early for the brothel then but what did she know about it.

"Yeah never in a million years will Sasuke ever be like that. I don't care how grown up he is, it wouldn't happen." She shuddered at the mental image that popped into her head, "No bad mind don't picture it…"

Pushing away the creepiness that was that thought in its entirety the leaf ninja started her search.

More than an hour and serval shops and restaurants later she was beginning to think that this was all a fabrication on her perverted sensei's part, no one that she spoke with had even seen anyone resembling the Uchiha.

"Well, this day was a total bust might as well grab a bite to eat and then call it a night early for once."

No sooner did she make this decision as she stepped outside of the weapons shop did, she come face to chest with someone familiar.

Looking up from the unwelcome red cloud pattern she saw him, Itachi.

She backed up slowly as he remained rooted to the place the smaller ninja had bumped into him at, "Not the Uchiha I was looking for…"

He looked faintly amused at her words, "No I imagine not."

Well this was awkward but there was no way that he didn't know who she was this time, so Naruto positioned herself in a defensive stance.

"Not hiding behind a transformation jutsu this time?"

"What?"

Did that mean what she thought it did?

"I can easily see through such a simple trick." She should've seen that one coming, Kurama was not amused by either of their eye puns.

Her posture relaxes some at the knowledge that maybe they weren't going to fight each other, "If that's true then why didn't you attack me back then?"

"…I was on my lunch break." It was said with no amount of jest; it was as if he stated the sky was blue.

It left Naruto dumbfounded, "Maybe you really are crazy."

Itachi smiled slightly no it was more his lips turned up but not in a smirking fashion but not quite a smile either so a half-smile, "You doubted it?"

"I still do." The younger ninja voice was sincere.

He tilted his head in confusion, "Why?"

Good question but she had no need to think on it because she knew the answer.

"Because I saw through you that day too."

Itachi did his best to not let his puzzled expression slip through but some of it did, "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I saw you bandage that kid's knee someone evil or insane wouldn't do that. I think the Itachi that attacked me the first time we met wasn't the real one at all, I don't know why but I think you're pretending to be the bad guy."

His perplexed tone changed to an emotionless one, "Did I pretend to kill my family too?"

That made her pause, it was the part she kept coming back to the missing piece that would make sense of what happened that night… it was still very far out of reach.

It wasn't like she could just ask him, 'hey, why did you kill your family?'

Or could she? It might not be a smart thing to do but now that the thought had entered her mind it wasn't leaving so taking a deep calming breath, she asked, "Why did you do it?"

"Kill them? Do I need a reason?" His eyes were cold almost dead as they stared her down, it dared her to keep questioning him and who was she to say no to a challenge?

"No… but I think someone like you would have one."

"Someone like me… do you know many people like myself?" The half-smile made a reappearance but only for a second, had the smaller ninja blinked she would have missed it.

"Gah," her gloved hands flew up to the top of her head where she mussed up her hair in aggravation before stopping to point at him, "you're just as frustrating as Sasuke! I meant you don't seem like the type to not have a reason is all." Her arm dropped to her side again as soon as she remembered who she was pointing fingers at.

He seemed unperturbed at her emotional outburst.

"Speaking of my younger brother you seem to be looking for him, how is that going?"

"I think you know how it's going now stop trying to deflect, why did you do it?" She was wondering if her stubbornness was borderline stupid considering how she was pushing it and Kurama was unhelpfully agreeing with her assessment.

"Perhaps you should ask Sasuke when you find him."

"I'm asking you."

She held his gaze.

He didn't look away, but the older ninja was quiet as he seemed to look into her very soul and then he dropped it to turn away. He was leaving? No, his back was to her, but he wasn't walking away. Suddenly his head turned just enough to make eye contact again, "Perhaps we shouldn't keep blocking the doorway it's bad manners."

Maybe he really wasn't sane but then again, she was the one following after him, but not before bowing in apology to the weapon shop owner who wasn't looking at them to happily. They had been disrupting his business after all.

They didn't go very far just a little way off to the side away from the surrounding storefronts but not the best place for a fight should one break out, still too many people though if he was really a villain then that would hardly matter to him.

He was the one talking about manners though so maybe there was nothing to worry about.

"I told my brother that I killed them to test myself, to prove my strength."

Naruto wasn't sure what was weirder that he'd answered her or what he said, "Well that makes no sense."

"Doesn't it? The Uchiha clan was a formidable one."

"Sure, some of the ninjas were but you killed kids and old grannies too that doesn't seem to fit the whole test your power thing. If that's what you really wanted, you'd have challenged the Hokage or tried to take out the Anbu or something along those lines because that would make sense."

He didn't agree or disagree his face was a complete blank slate for some time.

"That is why I said, 'that's what I told my brother.'"

Right he did say that, "Then what's the real reason?"

"The reason is my own, but I've indulged you enough I do have a mission to complete and as you can see it's not my lunch break this time."

Just like that the atmosphere changed and he attacked, Naruto was surprised, and barely managed to dodge though her cheek did sustain a small scratch.

"Wait," She held out her hand as the universal sign to pause, "why are you trying to capture me?" He didn't seem to know or care what it meant though because he didn't halt in his attacks.

"The time for talking is over I'm afraid."

So, Naruto started to run and there was also plenty of dodging as well while trying to lead him away from the populated areas he, of course, followed close behind. Even though she was busy not getting maimed because he was seriously trying to hurt her, she was also aware that he wasn't pulling out all the punches.

It was like he was trying to avoid harming the buildings and people nearby.

Itachi Uchiha was one big old contradiction and one that she wanted to figure out but first, she needed to survive this battle.

Quickly the blonde reached into her jacket and pulled out her ever-present summoning scroll. Ducking out of the way the younger ninja used it.

Not waiting she ordered the small toad to find Jiraiya and tell him that Itachi was here, it quickly poofed away to relay her message and to get out of dodge.

With that out of the way and the surroundings less clustered she decides to go on the offensive, but he is more than ready.

None of her blows land, he dodges and blocks like the super ninja she'd always heard him to be, but he didn't find many openings to do her any real damage but enough that it was obvious who was getting worn down.

That meant it was time for her first signature move, with a fast-practiced motion there was twenty of herself but Itachi wasn't phased and he made quick work of her clones.

Soon enough it was just the two of them again.

That was bad enough as he wasn't winded at all and she was doing her best not to pant when a certain unwelcomed fish crashed the party, "Having fun without me? Oh, isn't that the jinchuuriki girl?"

So not fair she sent that toad after Ero-Sennin a while ago so where was her back up?

As if hearing her complaint, he appeared, "Hey Itachi and you-whoever you are two on one is not fair to my darling student so just for that I'll take you both on."

"Are you serious right now?" Naruto shouted before grumbling about how he can just show up all of a sudden acting all heroic like she's a damsel in need of rescuing when she was doing just fine without him!

At the same time the blue-skinned Akatsuki member was ranting about his name and swords or something but Naruto wasn't listening focused on her own mini-rant.

"That's enough for today." Itachi declares towards his partner being the only sensible one of the bunch.

"Oh, come on I can take him!" The shark-like man shouts.

"Then do so alone."

Then he was gone in a whirl of leaves of all things.

"Hey, don't leave me here, damn it Itachi!"

He too vanishes.

"Well looks like we scared them off."

Naruto flops down onto the ground exhausted, "What in the world took you so long I sent you a message ages ago and fish face showed up before you!"

"Message? What message?" Naruto frowned, "I sent a summon…"

"Well, I didn't see any summon I just happened to sense your fight and came running as fast as I could." She doubted that or he'd have made it much sooner.

That's when a familiar toad appears beside the sage and relays said message.

Naruto considers making toad stew that night.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Review, maybe? I really suck at action scenes I'm sorry.** **I've posted two new Naruto stories recently titled 'Identity Crisis' and 'Blood of the Undying' and I've recently updated my other Naruto fic 'Extra Ordinary' too!**


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